Attended the University of Southern California where he earned a bachelor of music degree. He has also done graduate work at U.S.C. and at California State University at Northridge.

Mr. Johnson was the "first-call" tubist at the major motion picture studios and has recorded soundtracks for over 2000 movies dating back to 1958. Some of these movies include Robin Hood, Back to the Future 1,2, & 3, Jaws 1,2,3, & 4, Close Encounter of The Third Kind, Karate Kid I, II, & III Police Academy I, II, III, IV, & V, Silverado, Indiana Jones, Star Trek I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VIII, & IX, The Natural, The Godfather 1,2, & 3, A League of their Own, Alien III, Batman Returns, Beetle Juice, Death Becomes Her, Unforgiven, The Babe, The Addams Family, Toy Story, Honeymoon in Vegas, Honey, Grumpier Old Men, Father of the Bride 2, Die Hard 1 & 2, Crimson Tide, Beethoven 1 & 2, Lethal Weapon I,II, III & IV, A Few Good Men, Bodyguard, Dracula, Waiting to Exhale, Under Siege I & II, The Last of the Mohicans, Flintstones Movie, Forrest Gump, Lion King, Maverick, Richie Rich, Santa Claus, The Quick & the Dead, Batman Forever, True Lies, Wyatt Earp, Toy Story, Seven, Chain Reaction, Executive Decision. Extreme Measures, First Wives Club, Independence Day, The Frighteners, Nutty Professor, Tin Cup, Twister, Air Force One, The Edge, Con Air, Contact, Deep Rising, Flubber, Men in Black, Mouse Hunt, Mr. Magoo, Scream II, Starship Troopers, Titanic, The Rainmaker, U.S. Marshalls, The Matrix, A Bug's Life, Armageddon, Enemy of the State, Godzilla, Instinct, Mulan, Mystery Alaska, Odd Couple II, Parent Trap, Pleasantville, Small Soldiers, Tarzan, The Thin Red Line, Water Boy, Austin Powers II, General's Daughter, The Haunting, Thomas Crown Affair, & Wild, Wild West.
He has performed as tuba soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Pasadena Symphony, the San Fernando Valley Symphony, the LA Pops Orchestra, the U.S.C. Wind Ensemble, The LA Tuba Quartet, and with the Henry Mancini Orchestra. Mr. Johnson can be heard on the newly released recording of "The Manhattan Transfer meets Tuba the Tuba" CD or tape on Summit Records. Other recording include: Brass Tacks, Wimr-14-Stereo; Partita for Brass Quintet and Tape - Lazarof, Vox Records; Rampal Plays Scott Joplin on CBS Masterworks; Mancini Generation, RCA Victor, and Jaws by John Williams on MCA records.
Tommy Johnson has received the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Most Valuable Player Award for Tuba Player in 1974,75,76,77,78,79, and 1980. In 1981 he was awarded the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences "Emeritus Most Valuable Tuba Player", thereby making him ineligible to receive this award ever again.